Post #204695 by MauiTiki on Tue, Dec 27, 2005 7:34 PM

Lots of good information here.
My friend wrote the book "So, you want to live in Hawaii" I'd recommend it. It will answer all your questions.
http://www.booklineshawaii.com/book/bgb/625366.html

When I moved to Maui back in 1979 there were tons of jobs but no where to live. The cycle turned to not many jobs in the mid 90's, now we are back to plenty of work but no where to live. The problem is that the average person will never be able to afford their first home on Maui. if you have a home to sell, you have some money to put down. You'll have to downsize for sure. the average home on Maui is now around $800,000. the cheapest condo I've seen is about $350,000. Be careful when buying a condo. You may be able to afford the payment, but remember the association (or maintenance) fees. They'll kill you. My parents own a condo on Maui and were just assessed $5,000 for a new elevator.

pets are difficult to bring over, so if you have a Dog or Cat, start the process with them 6-8 months before you move. Reptiles are out.

Good luck. As an employer of a handful of people, I see them struggle paycheck to paycheck. They enjoy the lifestyle, but eventually realize they'll never be able to afford a home and have a family over here. They usually last 3-5 years, if they can make it through their first 6 months. I had two employees within the last year quit within three weeks of starting and move back to the mainland, because they couldn't make the lifestyle they were used to work for them on Maui.

Let me know if you have specific questions and I'll do my best to help you out.